BIZ PIE – ingredients

I was asked recently why I called my company BIZPIE. As I paused to compose a response, a swirl of thoughts, memories and long held opinions jumbled up in my head. Like a fog that suddenly cleared, it came to me – because running a business is so darn hard.

Say “no” to clients

Does it scare you to say “no” to clients? This is the time to try it with great consideration for the consequences. Many times when you or your sales team says yes, the internal cost is extremely high. With the supply chain disrupted, salaries going up, price of gas soaring, etc., anything out of your […]

Roll with it

Last night driving back from the first dressy event we have been to in 2 1/2 years, Paul swerved but could not avoid something in the lane and ran over it with the right front tire. Boom! It was not a box. It was part of a desk or a book shelf. We thought we […]

Tweak those resolutions

We are 3/4 through with January which is a good time to examine our progress and tweak those resolutions we set for 2022. Actually, there is nothing wrong with the New Year’s resolutions. The execution is what needs to be tweaked.

Your “team one”

It made sense when Patrick Lencioni said it, and it made sense when I read it in The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team 20 years ago, but it still is not common business practice. Your executive leadership team – the CEO and your peers,  must be your “team one”, not your division or your direct reports. […]

Leadership advice from Colin Powell

General Colin Powell, former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke to my 3 Vistage groups this week and the take-aways were fantastic. Well actually, it was a pre-recorded interview with Vistage CEO Sam Reese that we watched at home and discussed at the meetings. But still, the take-aways were […]

Lost strategic focus?

I’m hearing from CEO’s and I’m hearing from senior leaders that one minute you are looking at 3 year plans and the next minute you are all hunting for a missing product in the supply chain. Or, you just finally hired an important new team player and a long time team member gives notice. It […]

Committed to Growing as Leaders

This week my Chief Executive Vistage groups got together in person for the first time in 15 months. Wow! It was so sweet. There were so many lovely side conversations before starting, during breaks and sometimes during the meeting as people reconnected or met for the first time.

unintended benefits of PPP money

Has anyone studied the actual uses of the Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) loans/forgiveness? Because the pandemic totally devastated approximately 20% of the economy in sectors like travel, events, hotels and dining, it is hard to imagine how these industries have survived, or how the PPP money could have helped them for long. If they are […]

Do what only you can do

Nora Paller BizPie Blog

My new Vistage Member looked uncomfortable, well maybe downright unhappy. I was a brand new Vistage Chair and a little uncertain. I put down my notebook and just looked her in the eye and asked, “What’s wrong? You look pretty unhappy.” She sighed deeply.